Patrick Vieira now he admits Crystal Palace It is among the clubs struggling to be relegated, but denies feeling more pressure than he did when he took over the manager’s chair.
The Eagles side are 12th on the table with 27 points, just five more than 18th-place Everton in the relegation zone and have been undefeated since beating Bournemouth 2-0 on New Year’s Eve.
Vieira’s tenure in south London has so far been the subject of occasional whispers, but Palace’s last form – which has seen them score just four goals in nine matches. Premier League Matches in 2023 – opened the dial.
But the Eagles boss, largely unimpressed, said: “The pressure? Since I first signed for this football club, there has been pressure on me. I experienced the first pressure since my first game against Chelsea a few months ago.
“That’s what the Premier League means. I think there’s pressure from every single manager to perform, play in European cups or stay in the Premier League, and I don’t see myself as any different from other managers.”
He was more outspoken about his side, which had five low-scoring or goalless draws in 2023 and faced another tough test against the top opponent. Manchester City They’ll head to Selhurst Park on Saturday and collect three highlights of their own in their championship chase.
Despite all its inconsistencies, Palace has spent eight weeks in 12th place and their fixture roster isn’t getting any easier anytime soon, with a mid-week trip to their formless rivals Brighton before facing league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium next Sunday.
“I think it would be a lie if I sat across from you and said I wasn’t worried,” Vieira said.
“Of course we are worried, of course we are aware of our position on the table. It’s important to us that we stay calm and keep working and improving. We have a tough week ahead and it will be important for us to score points, but if we want points we have to play well.
“The table is what it is. We are still five points behind of course but anything can happen and we need to know that we are part of nine or 10 teams that have to fight to stay in the Premier League.
But we are better than some teams. Will that be enough? No. This is why we must prioritize our performances. How can we improve ourselves as a team that will allow us to win these games?